Moyne Shire takes key step towards new and improved library services

Councillors also voted to give Moyne Shire chief executive Bill Millard authority to sign the new shared services agreement. Corangamite Shire had already approved the new agreement at their first council meeting in January.

The CRLC had previously managed the public libraries across Moyne, Corangamite, Warrnambool and Colac-Otway, but after Warrnambool and Colac-Otway pulled out of the corporation in 2020, Moyne and Corangamite decided to establish a collaboration between themselves.

Under the previous model, public libraries in the region were run by the CRLC, which was an independent corporation with its own governing board.

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In the new shared services model, Moyne and Corangamite councils will run their own local libraries staffed by council employees.

The new model will have a Library Hub, based in Moyne Shire, that will oversee the system across the two councils and will have a Moyne Shire employee coordinating it.

Moyne Shire mayor Ian Smith said library users could be confident services would continue as normal through the transition.

"While things will be different behind the scenes, it will be business as usual for customers at our branches in Mortlake, Koroit and Port Fairy - but with a few added extras," he said.

As part of the new agreement the two councils have also signed up to Public Libraries Victoria, which will give locals access to a wider range of books from throughout the state. All library users will get a new library card to gain access to the wider collection.

The agreement, which has been reviewed by lawyers, leaves the door open to other councils to join down the track.

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